Radio-frequency semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) have kinds of passive elements, for example, metal insulation metal (MIM) capacitors. An example of radio-frequency semiconductor ICs is compound semiconductors. Transistors contained in recent semiconductor ICs need high voltage to drive, and thus there has been a demand for high-voltage-resistant MIM capacitors. In particular, semiconductor ICs based on nitrides such as gallium nitride (GaN) contain transistors with a high driving voltage requirement, and thus MIM capacitors used in them should be highly resistant to high voltage.
When used for monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) based on compound semiconductors, MIM capacitors should be resistant to dielectric breakdown even at voltage levels higher than the driving voltage of transistors, for reliability and other performance.
Publications disclosing related arts include the following: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-35830, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-26706, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-221446, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-234726, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-28249.